3 Reasons Heat Exchangers Work for NEMA Enclosures

Posted September 27, 2018byNoren Thermal

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, or NEMA, regulates the various grades of electrical enclosures that are often utilized in manufacturing and other industrial applications. The point of the standards that NEMA sets forth is to maintain an optimal level of safety and functionality for electrical enclosures that often operate in hazardous conditions. For instance, adhering to the standards helps ensure an adequate degree of protection for personnel from accessing hazardous components of the enclosure and protection for the enclosure against certain environmental elements. Because of these high demands, heat exchangers are often the ideal solution for meeting these standards and ensuring optimal electrical thermal management for NEMA enclosures.

They remain sealed

Heat exchangers not only utilize efficient heat transfer methods (such as phase-change cooling), but they also do so within a tightly sealed unit. Heat exchangers utilize cooling fluid to absorb waste heat and transfer it away from sensitive electrical components. The fluid circulates in a cycle, so there’s no need to refill the heat exchanger or change the fluid routinely. Heat exchangers are also typically implemented using high-quality neoprene gaskets and seals, which allow them to be attached to enclosures of all sizes while maintaining a high level of ingress protection.

They’re highly eco-friendly

In addition to maintaining the high level of protection necessary to meet most NEMA standards, heat exchangers also operate in a much more eco-friendly manner than more traditional electrical cooling systems. For example, air conditioners and air compressors utilize large amounts of energy to operate, and in the case of air conditioners, the Freon used to chill the air may leak. By contrast, heat exchangers utilize eco-friendly elements, such as using water as cooling fluid and natural forces (like convection) to transfer heat.

They fit most applications

Being tightly sealed and utilizing eco-friendly thermal management methods make heat exchangers ideal for most types of applications, including those that are certified according to NEMA standards. That versatility is made possible by the fact that heat exchangers can be designed in a variety of ways, including heat pipes and cold plates, to ensure that they can meet the unique needs of NEMA enclosures in a wide variety of applications.

For more information about why heat exchangers work so well for NEMA enclosures, call Noren Thermal Solutions in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.